EM’s smile dropped fast. “Wow, so you’d rather ruin our family trip than take a break from your kid’s precious screen?” She muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, “Some parents can’t say no these days. It’s no wonder kids are spoiled.”

I ignored her, but halfway through the flight, her son threw a bigger tantrum. And then, EM “accidentally” knocked over Ella’s tray, sending the iPad crashing to the floor! “Oops, so clumsy of me!” she said, smirking. Ella burst into tears, and I was boiling inside, but what could I do? EM acted like it was an accident, playing innocent the whole time.

As we prepared to land, I noticed that EM was trying to engage with her son, perhaps realizing that her approach might need changing. Her son, still looking guilty but also relieved to have confessed, finally calmed down. When it was time to disembark, EM caught my eye and, to my surprise, mouthed a sheepish “Sorry.”